Super Enzymes Digestive Enzymes | 90 or 180 Capsules | NOW Foods

Super Enzymes by NOW Foods

Super Enzymes is one of NOW Foods' best-known enzyme formulas, and for good reason. Each capsule contains digestive enzymes from three different sources: the pancreas, pineapple, and papaya. It also contains betaine HCl and ox bile extract. So it is not a single enzyme, but a combination of several enzymes. The bottle is available with 90 or 180 capsules, one per day with a meal.

What digestive enzymes actually do

Enzymes are proteins that speed up a chemical reaction without being consumed themselves. You can think of them as scissors that cut over and over again. In your digestion, they cut large molecules from your food into pieces small enough to be absorbed. Each enzyme has its own specialty. Protease cuts proteins into amino acids. Amylase breaks down starch into sugars. Lipase splits fats into fatty acids. And cellulase cuts into cellulose, the fiber found in plant cell walls for which your body does not produce its own enzyme. You produce most of these enzymes yourself, in your saliva, stomach, and especially your pancreas.

Enzymes from animals and plants together

The difference between this formula and many other enzyme preparations lies in the combination of sources. Pancreatine 11X comes from the pancreas of pigs and provides amylase, protease, and lipase. The 11X means that it is eleven times stronger than the standard used by the American pharmacopoeia. Bromelain comes from the stem of the pineapple and papain from the papaya fruit. These are two plant-based protease enzymes, known for tenderizing meat. In addition, it contains aspergillopepsin, a protease that is produced by a mold and also continues to work in an acidic environment. Most enzymes have a preference for a certain acidity. The formula combines enzymes that are each active at a different pH.

Enzyme activity says more than milligrams

If you look at the label, you will see abbreviations such as USP, GDU, SAPU, and FCC PU alongside milligrams. That seems complicated, but the idea is simple. With digestive enzymes, it is not about how much powder is in the capsule, but how much work that powder can do. Two batches of 40 mg of bromelain can differ significantly in activity. That is why they measure how much protein, starch, or fat each enzyme can break down in a certain amount of time. GDU, for example, stands for gelatin digesting units: how much gelatin the bromelain dissolves. SAPU measures the activity of acid-stable protease, and FCC PU measures that of papain. Many enzyme products in the store only list milligrams. NOW Foods lists the activity for each enzyme, so you know what you are actually getting.

Betaine HCl and ox bile, the two extras

In addition to the enzymes, Super Enzymes contains two substances that are not enzymes themselves. Betaine HCl (betaine hydrochloride) is an acidic compound that releases hydrochloric acid as soon as it dissolves. Hydrochloric acid is also the acid that your stomach produces itself to loosen proteins and activate pepsin. Note: betaine HCl is slightly different from TMG or anhydrous betaine, although the names are similar. Ox bile extract contains bile acids, at least 45 percent of which are cholic acids. Because ox bile, pancreatine, and the gelatin capsule are of animal origin, this product is not vegetarian. It also contains sulfites.

Choose your size: the bottle with 90 capsules is a nice way to get acquainted with a broad enzyme formula, one capsule with a meal, for three months. The bottle with 180 capsules is a half-year supply, convenient if you already know that this formula suits you.